NURSING students in Huddersfield are top of the league in the UK for completing their training.

A study released yesterday shows that more than one in four nursing students drop out of their course before the end.

But the study, by Nursing Standard magazine, singles out Huddersfield University as the best in the country, with just 7% of students not completing the courses.

The national average dropout rate is 24.8%.

The Royal College of Nursing says the main reasons for students dropping out are financial strain and the lack of childcare support.

Some students are put off by poor experiences on wards and clinical placements.

Failure to cope with academic demands is also a problem behind the dropout problem.

Barbara Wood is acting head of adult and children's nursing at Huddersfield University.

Commenting on why Huddersfield students stay the course she said: "We pride ourselves in the support we give our students.

"We are able to offer students cheap accommodation. It costs £130 a month and is a lot cheaper than what other students pay.

"We also prepare our students very well.

"Before they go to work on wards they spend 32 hours in skills labs, learning how to do useful tasks, such as taking temperatures, toileting and bathing patients.

"That also helps their confidence and also clinical staff's confidence in them."

Estimates of the annual national cost of dropouts are about £57m.